A29686:378
A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…
A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...
London : Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock ..., 1669
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. I shall endeavour to do it, and therefore thus.
Sixthly, True desires of grace is grace, true desires after Christ, and grace, and holiness, is grace; he who does sincerely desire to believe, he does really believe; and he that does sincerely desire to repent, he does really repent; and he that does sincerely desire to obey the Lord,1 and to fear the Lord, and to serve the Lord, he does really obey the Lord, and fear the Lord, and serve the Lord. It is the first step to grace, for a man to see his heart void of grace; and it is the first degree of grace, for a man to desire grace. Mark, all true desires of grace, have the very nature and truth of grace in them. As there is true fire in a spark, as well as in a flame, and true water in a drop, as well as in a stream, and true light in a beam, as well as in the Sun, and true gold in the very filings of gold, as well as in the whole wedge of gold; the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole.2 True desires of grace argues a state of grace and salvation, Psal. 38.9. Lord thou knowest all my desire, my groanings is not hid ⟨p. 171⟩from thee. Mat. 5.6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled; or as the Greek runs (after the participle of the present tense) they that are hungering and thirsting; intimating, that where ever this is the present disposition of mens souls, they are blessed, Rev. 22.17. And let him that is a thirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.